Copy holder



April fi, 1937. DODDS 2,076,448

COPY HOLDER Filed Nov.' 2. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 N. DODDS COPY HOLDERApril 6, 1937.

Filed Nov. 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 2, 1955all 3mm Nuyenfi Dodds,

N. DODDS COPY HOLDER April 6, 1937.

Filed Nov. 2. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 6, 1937.

N. DIODIDS COPY HOLDER Filed Nov. 2, 1935 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Patented. Apr.6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 17 Claim.

This invention relates to copy holders and more particularly to copyholders for use with typewriting machines or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a copy holder which is soconstructed that it may be permanently attached to a desk, andparticularly to a desk of the drop leaf type, without interfering withthe closing of the desk, the device being so constructed that it may becollapsed or m moved to inoperative position, in which position thedevice will not interfere with the operation 01' opening and closing thedesk.

Another object of this invention is to provide a copy holder of thischaracter which is constructed in a manner whereby the line shiftinglever will automatically be coupled with the shifting mechanism when theholder is moved to an operative position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a copy holder of thistype which embodies means 20 whereby the holder may be securely lookedin operative position so that the device cannot accidentally collapseduring the use thereof.

A still fu'rtherobject of this invention is to provide an improvedcoupling between the base and 25 the holder proper so that the holdercan be moved or shifted from a vertical operative position to ahorizontal inoperative position in a single swinging movement, thecoupling being so constructed that an edge of the holder will rest uponthe base in either an operative or inoperative position.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of an improvedpaper holding means on the shiftable holder together with means foraccommodating sheets of varying widths.

35 A further object of this invention is the provision of an improvedoperating means for the shiftable copy holder which includes. meanswhereby the operator of the device may, upon adjustment of the operatingmeans, be enabled to shift the .holder for a distance equal to one line,as an example, at a very rapid rate and without requiring the operatorto pausein order to shift the holder for the desired distance. In thepresent instance this is accomplished by an adjustable means associatedwith the operating means which can be adjusted at will and which willpermit the copying of material irrespective of whether the material isprinted or typewritten, or written by hand, and irrespective of thespace from line to line.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out55 in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan of a device constructed in accordance with anembodiment of this invention, the device being secured to a desk whichis shown in fragmentary form.

Figure "2 is an end elevation of the device in collapsed or inoperativeposition with the typewriter and supporting table shifted to inoperativeposition within the desk which is shown in verti cal section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the copy holder.

Figure 4 is a detail rear elevation of the holder, showing the device inoperative position, as indicated by full lines, and'showing in dottedlines the collapsed or inoperative position of the holder.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofF18. 6.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 6-5 ofFig. 5. I

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I--'| of Fig. 5.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 6.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the holder tensioning means.

Figure 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l2-I2 of Fig.5..

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l3l3 of Fig.5.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the braking meansfor the holder, the parts being shown in spaced apart relation forfacility of illustration.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l5-l5 ofFig. 9.

Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the linelt-IS of Fig. 1.

Figure 1"! is a sectional view taken on the line lI-l'l of Fig. 16.

Figure 18 is a sectional view taken on the line I8l8 of Fig. 16. v

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken on the line lQ-IS of Fig. 16.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the letter Ddesignates generally a desk of conventional construction which isprovided with a typewriter table or platform P of the disappearing typeon which a conventional typefwith a .second barrel 24, the pur forwhlchmoval of the holder from the desk platform in orderto permit themovement of the platform to inoperative position, and in addition suchholders cannot be fastened so that they will not shift during the usethereof.

In the present instance I have provided a base member including a plate28 which is adapted to lie flat upon the supporting platform P,preferably with the forward portion of the base plate 28 disposedbeneath the rear legs of the typewriter T. By placing the forwardportion of the base plate 20 beneath the rear legs of the typewriter T,when the typewriter is secured to the platform P the plate '28 willlikewise be held in a fixed position. The base member also includes avertically disposed plate 2| integral with the base plate 20 and whichis adapted, when the device is secured beneath the typewriter T, to bedisposed in rearwardly spaced relation to the rear of the typewriter. Asecond plate 22 is disposed beneath the plate 28, being fastened theretoin any suitable manner, and is provided at its forward edge with abarrel 23, and at its rear edge will be hereinafter described.

A channeled standard generally designated as 25 is mounted on the basemember, and includes a rear plate 26, guides 21 along the oppositevertical edges thereof, and a bottom or locking member 28 which projectsforwardly of the lower ends of the guides 21. The locking member 28 isadapted to engage beneath headed members 29 secured to the base plate28. In the present instance there are two of these locking members .28,and two headed members 28, although it is obvious that these members 28may be connected together if desired.

When the copy holder standard 25 is in a vertical operative position thelocking tongues 28 will be disposed with the forward portions thereofdisposed beneath the headed members 28. The standard 25 is held inlocked position with respect to the base member by means of a lock ingarm 38 carried by a shaft 3| which is rotatable, in the barrel 24. Theshaft 3| has the end opposite from the arm 30 bent as at 32 so asto forma handle or operating lever which is disposed, when in locked positionat one side of the standard 25. The rear plate 26 at its lower end maybe provided with a strike plate 33 against which the arm 36 may engage,it being .understood that the standard 25 may be constructed out ofsheet metal of suilicient lightness to keep the weight of the devicedown to a minimum, and yet of sufficient strength to prevent unduebending of the standard when the arm 38 is swung into locked position. 6

The copy holder standard 25 is secured to the vertical base plate 2| bymeans of a pin 34 which is threaded into ,the plate 2| at a pointupwardly from the base plate 28, and this pin 34, which is a headed pin,engages in an arcuate slot 35 of substantially. c-shape with one end ofthe slot substantially vertical. The configuration of this slot 35-isclearly shown in Figure 4. Preferably the rear plate 26 is provided withan offset portion 36 in which the slot 35 is disposed, so that the headof the pin 34 will not affect any of the other movable parts carried bythe copy holder standard 25. This slot 35 is of such a shape that thestandard 25 may be readily swung from a vertical operative position, asshown in full lines in Fig. 4, to a horizontal inoperative position, asshown in dotted lines in this figure, and in either position one edge ofthe standard 25 will rest upon'the base plate 20.

A channelled sheet holdingmember, generally designated as 31, isslidably mounted on the standard 25, and comprises a front plate 38provided with guides 38 on opposite edges thereof which are adapted toslidably engage the guides 21. The sheet holding member'31 is providedwith a top wall 48 having spaced apart slots 4 through which resilientmembers 42 are adapted to project. The lower ends of the springs 42 aresecured as at 43 to the inside surface of the front plate 38, and theupper ends of the springs 42 are secured in any suitable manner to asheet holding clamp 44 of substantially L-shape which has one legthereof disposed over the top wall 40 and the other leg disposed independent relation over the top of the front wall 38 and provided with arolled portion 45, as shown in Figs.

10 and 12. This clamping member 44 may be shifted forwardly to the limitof the slots 4|, and 1 normally the springs 42 hold the rolled portion45 tightly against the upper portion of the front plate 38 so asto'permit the insertion of the upperedge of the copy material betweenthis member 44 and the holder member 31. A barrel 46 is formed at therear portion of the horizontal leg of the clamping member 44, and oneleg of a substantially U-shaped sheet holding member 41 is adapted toengage in this barrel 46. The other leg of the sheet holding member 41is free and is adapted to loosely hold sheets which have been turnedback over the top of the holder 31. This member 41 may be shiftedlaterally of the holder 31 ,so as to accommodate sheets of varyingsizes, and is preferably frictionally held in the barrel 46 so that themember 41 may be adjusted at will lengthwise of the barrel 46 and alsorotated to a limited extent within the barrel.

' Selective movement of the copy holding member 31 is accomplished inthe following manner: A pair of parallel rods 48 are secured by means ofa nut 49 or other fastening means to the top wall 40 between the slots4|, and these .rods 48 upper end of the rear wall 26. The lower ends ofthe guide members 58 are fastened to the bottom member 28, and the rods48 are adapted to freely move longitudinally of the guide mem: bers 50.

A resilient braking member 52 in the formof an elongated-fiat springwith a bowed intermediate portion is positioned in the U-shapedsupporting member 5|, and the opposite ends of the braking member 52frictionally contact with the periphery of the rods 48, the guidemembers 58 being cut out as at 53 so as to permit contact of the brakingmember 52 with the rods 48. The

with the braking member 52 moving therewith to the limit of the channel5!.

A vertically disposed lifting bar 54 is slidably disposed within thestationary holding member 25, having its lower portion slidable througha bracket 55 of substantially L-shape which is fixed to the rear wall 26adjacent the lower portion of the rear wall, and having its upperportion slidable through the channel member 5|. A pair of opposedlifting members 56 are pivotally secured at their inner ends to theupper end of the lifting bar 54, and are provided with a hole 57adjacent the outer ends thereof through which a rod 68 projects. Upwardmovement of the inner ends of these lifting members 56 will cause thesemembers to change their angular relation with respect to the rods 68,with the result that the marginal portions of the holes 5'! will atopposite points engage the periphery of the rods 58 so that the liftingmembers 56, in the further upward movement of the lifting bar 56, willbe held against movement with respect to the rods 38 and thus raisethese rods and the parts associated therewith.

When the rods 38 are raised they are held against downward movement bya-pair of holding bars 58 which are interposed between the liftingmembers 56 and the support 5|. These holding bars 56 are provided withbifurcated inner end portions which loosely engage opposite edgeportions of the lifting bar 56, and each bar 58 is provided with a holeto loosely receive a rod 68. Cushioning members 59 are secured to thesupport 5! on opposite sides of the bar 54, and the holding bars 58 arefulcrumed on these cushioning members so that when the lifting bar 54 isforced downwardly to released position the outer ends of the holdingbars 56 will be raised to prevent the marginal portions of the holestherein from gripping the rods 48.

The lifting bar 54 is biased to a lower position by means of a pair ofsprings 60 disposed in upwardly convergent position and with theirdivergent ends secured to the bracket 55. The slot 6! in the bracket 55is preferably longer than the width of the lifting bar 54 so that thisbar 56 may have a limited lateral swinging movement. A U-shaped member62 is secured to the lower end of the lifting bar 54, and the upperhorizontal leg of the U-shaped member 62 is preferably longer than thelower leg thereof, and terminates in a vertically disposed cam 63.

A copy holder operating member, generally designated as 54 is rockablycarried by the base 28, and comprises a lifting lever or arm 65, one

end of which is loosely disposed between the horizontal legs of theU-shaped member 62. The other end of the lifting lever or arm 65 isintegral with a shaft 56 which is rockably mounted in the barrel 23. Anoperating handle or lever '61'is integral with the shaft 66 and projectsforwardly of the base Ziiand is adapted, when the device is in appliedposition, to be disposed alongside of the typewriter T with its forwardend adjacent one end of the keyboard of the typewriter. When the lever67 is rocked downwardly the lifting arm or lever 65 will be raised thusraising the lifting bar 54 and effecting a raising of the copy holder31,

In order to permit the copy holder 31 to be raised a predetermineddistance at each lowering of the lever 61, I have provided an adjustablecam member '68 provided with a cushioning rib 69. The cam member 68 isfixed to a sleeve 16 which is slidable and rotatable on the lever 61.The lever 61 has a notched collar 'Il fixed to the outer end thereof,and an enlarged sleeve 12 is fixed to the sleeve H and loosely, engagesabout the collar 12. A pin 13 extends diametrically of the sleeve l2 andis adapted to engage in a selected pair of notches "in the collar ll.Preferably a spring is disposed about the lever 61 between the collar Hand the shoulder I6 formed at the juncture of the sleeve 12 with thesleeve 'Il so as to yieldingly maintain the pin 13 in the desirednotches H. The periphery of the sleeve 12 may be provided with numbersor other indicia, and

the outer face of the cam member 58 may be provided with'numbers orother indicia so that the operator of the device may determine whatmovement will be had with respect to the copy holder 31. upon downwardmovement of the lever 61.

After the copy holder 31 is raised to the desired point; it may bequickly lowered to starting position by raising the lever 61 which willcause the lifting bar 56 to be lowered against the tension of ayieldable stop member 18 which is secured within the stationary holdermember 25 at the bottom 26 thereof and between the guide members 50.Stop members i! in the form of bolts or the like are secured to theplate 38 adjacent the lower edge thereof and project inwardly a distancesufficient to contact with the supporting member 5|. Removal of thestopmembers .71 will permit the removal of the slidable copy holder 31fromthe stationary copy holder member 25.

In the use and operation of this copy holder,

the base member is fixed to a support, either being bolted, clamped orotherwise fastened to the support. In the absence of being bolted orotherwise fixed to the support, the base plate 20 is interposed betweenthe feet of the typewriter T and the platform P and held in fixedposition with respect to the platform P by the fastening devices for thetypewriter. In operative position the copy holder, including thestationary member 25 and the slidable and shiftable member 31 will bedisposed in a vertical position, being releasably locked in such aposition by the locking arm 36.

The free end of the raising lever 65 will be en gaged between theparallel legs of the U-shaped member 62, and after the cam 68 has beenproperly adjusted to determine the distance the copy holder member 31 isto be raised at each lowering of the lever 61, the operator of thedevice may merely strike the outer end of the lever 61 a sumcient blowto cause the cam 68 to contact with the surface of the platform P, ormay grasp the lever 61 with one hand and lower the operating lever 61until the cam 68 strikes the platform P. It will be seen from this thatonce the cam 68 has been set to take care of the spacing between thelines of the copy held by the clamping member 44 theoperator can quicklyshift the holder. When the copy is clamped on the holder .31 the line ofcopy is determined by means of a strip l9 carried by a U-shaped member60 which is rockably and slidably carried by the rear wall 26 in abarrel or barrels 8|. The line gauging strip 18 may be shifted laterallyof the face of the holder 31 by lateral shifting of the strip supportingmember 80.

Assuming that the holder is in the position shown in solid lines in Fig.4, if it is desired to close the desk. the holder including theshiftable copy holder 31 and the stationary holder 25 may be swung to ahorizontal inoperative position by first swinging the locking lever 32upwardly to a substantially vertical position so as to release thelocking arm 30. The top of the device may then be pulled forwardly so asto swing the lower por tion of the device rearwardly and effect arelease of the locking tongues 28 from the headed locking members 29.When the holder is released from the locking members 29, the lower orshort leg of the U-shaped member 62 will be moved rearwardly out ofengagement with the free end of the lever 62, so that the holder,including the shiftable copy holding member 31 and the stationary mem- 7ber 25 may be raised and at the same time swung about so that the pin 34will travel along the length of the slot 35 to substantially theposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

The device is moved to operative or vertical position by reversing theforegoing operation. However, when the lever 65 is released from theU-shaped holding member 62 the weight of the operating lever 61 willcause this lever 65 to rise to a point where it is above the holdingmember 62 when the device is again swung to operative position. In orderto take care of this condition, and so that the operator of the devicemay quickly couple the end of the lever 65 with the holding member 62,the cam 63 is provided. Assuming that the holder has just been swung tooperative position and the operating member 64 has not been touched, thecoupling between the lifting bar 54 and the lever 65 is automaticallyeifected by merely raising the free end of the lever 61 so that the freeend of the lever 65 will strike the cam 63 and thereby swing the lowerportion of the lifting bar 54 laterally against the tension of thesprings 68. When the free end of the lever 65 passes the lower end ofthe cam 63 the springs 60 will automatically swing the coupling member62 carried by the lower end of the lifting bar 54 into engagement withthe free end of the lever 65. Further movement of the lever 65 will beresiliently resisted by the stop member 18. The operating member 64 isnow coupled with the lifting bar 54 so that downward rocking of theoperating member 64 will effect an upward movement of the liftingmembers 56 and a consequent raising of the bars 48 and the copy holder31.

While I have shown the slot 35 as being disposed in the rear wall of thestationary member 25 and the pin 84 secured in the stationary basemember 2|, it will be obvious that these members may be readilyreversed, that is the slot 35 may be placed in the vertical member 2|and the pin in the rear wall 26.

When the copy holder 31 has been raised to the desired point it may belowered by raising the end of the lever 61 against the tension of thestop member 18, which will cause the lifting members 56 and the holdingmembers 58 to be rocked to released position. It will be understood thatinitial upward movement of the copy holder 31 will cause the brakingmember 52 to move to the top of the supporting member This brakingmember 52 is tensioned by means of a tensioning lever or bar 82 whichhas one end secured by means of a bolt 83 to the rear plate or wall 26.The upper end of the lever 82 engages behind the braking memberv 52 atsubstantially the center thereof, and this upper end of the lever 82 maybe moved with respect to the rear wall 26 by means of a t'ensioning bolt84 which is threaded through the lever 82 and which loosely extendsthrough a slot 85 provided in the lifting bar 54.

downward movement of the slidable copy holder 31 may be easilycontrolled so as to prevent sudden dropping of the holder when theoperating member 64 is raised to released position. This, braking member52 permits the holder 31 to gravitatingly slide downwardly to startingposition with the downward movement cushioned.

What is claimed is:

1. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a paper holdingmember, one of said members having a curved slot therein, and a pincarried by the other member and engageable-in the slot to adjustablymount the paper holding member on the base member for movement from avertical operative position to a horizontal inoperative position.

2. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a paper holdingmember, one of said members having a curved slot therein, a pin carriedby the other member and engageable in the slot to adjustably mount thepaper holding member on the base member for movement from a verticaloperative position to a horizontal inoperative position, and releasablemeans for locking the paper holding member in a vertical operativeposition.

3. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a paper holdingmember, one of said members having a curved slot therein, a pin carriedby the other member and engageable in the slot to adjustably mount thepaper holding member on the base member for movement from a verticaloperative position to a horizontal inoperative position, and coactingmeans carried by each of the members for releasably locking the paperholding member in a vertical operative position.

4. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a paper holdingmember, one of said members having a substantially C-shaped slottherein, a pin carried by the other member and engageable in the slot toadjustably mount the paper holding member on the base member formovement from a vertical operative position to a horizontal inoperativeposition.

5. A device as set forth comprising a base member, aguide member, meanscarried by each of said members to mount the guide member on the basemember for positioning in either a vertical operativeposition or ahorizontal inoperative position, a slide engaging the guide member,

means for progressively moving and holding the tical operative positionor a horizontal inoperative position, a slide engaging the guide member,means for progressively moving and holding the slide relative to theguide member, an operating lever pivotally carried by the base member,and automatically engageable lever engaging means carried by said firstmeans.

7. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a guide member, meanscarried by each of said members to mount the guide member on the basemember for positioning in either a vertical operative position or ahorizontal inoperative position, a slide engaging the guide member,means for progressively moving and holding the slide relative to theguide member, an operating releasable lever engaging means carried bysaid member may be swung from a vertical operative position to ahorizontal inoperative position, a paper holding means slidably carriedby the member, means carried by the member and engaging the paperholding-means to progressively move the paper holding means relative tothe member, and operating means carried by the base and engageable withsaid latter means when the member is in a vertical operative position toprogressively raise the paper holding means.

9. A device as set forth comprising a base, a paper holding meanscarried by the base and in cluding a slide member and means forprogressively moving the slide member, mounting means for mountingthepaper holding means on the base in a manner whereby the paper holdingmeans may be adjusted from a vertical operative position to a horizontalinoperative position, an operative lever rockably carried by the base,and means carried by the paper holding means and engageable with thelever when the paper holding means is in a vertical operative positionto progressively move the slide member upon rocking of the lever.

10. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a shiftable copyholding member carried by the base, operating means for shifting saidcopy holding member, and spring-pressed means carried by said operatingmeans to limit the movement thereof.

11. A device as set forth comprising a'base member, a shiftable copyholding member carried by the base, rockable operating means carried bythe said base member and shifting said copy holding member, meanscarried by said operat- 5 ing means to limit the movement thereof, and

spring-pressed locking means for holding said latter means in adjustedposition.

12. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a shiftable copyholding member, means 50 for mounting said copy holding member on thebase, rockable operating means for moving said copy holding member inanupward direction,

releasable locking means for holding said copy holding member againstmovement in a down-, ward direction, means carried by said operatingmeans to limit the movement thereof in one direction, and spring-pressedlocking means for adjusting said latter means.

13, A device as set forth comprising a base member, a shiftable copyholding member, rockable operating means for said copy holding mem-'ber, a cam carried by said operating means and engageable with a supportfor the device to limit rocking of the operating means, and means foradjusting said cam.

14. A device as set forth comprising a base, a shiftable copy holdingmember mounted on the base, rockable operating means-carried by the basefor shifting said copy holding member relative to the base, a cam shapedlimiting means for said operating means, and means for adjustablymounting said limiting means 'on a portion of said operating means. A

15. A device as set forth comprising a base, a shiftable copy holdingmember mounted on the base, rockable operating means carried by the basefor shifting said copy holding member relative to the base, a swingablelimiting means carried by said operating means to limit the movement ofsaid operating means, and means for mounting said limiting means formovement with said operating means.

16. A device as set forth comprising a base member, a shiftable copyholding member carried by the base member, operating means for shiftingsaid copy holding member; means-for adjustably mounting said copyholding member on the base member, and automatically engageable couplingmeans carried by said copy holding memberwherebyto couple said operatingmeans with said copy holding member when saidcopy'holding member isdisposed in operative position.

member, a shiftable COPY holding member carried 40 17. A device as setforth comprising a base' by the base member, an operating lever'for.said

